Why US Internet Access Is Slow And Expensive

US citizens pay more for internet access than those in many other countries — and also get worse connections for their cash. This video explains why.

Here, Bill Moyers interviews Susan Crawford — former special assistant to President Obama for science, technology and innovation, and author of Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age. She knows what she’s talking about.

During the interview, she explains how the US government has allowed media organisations to put profit ahead of public interest — through price hikes, rigged rules and stifling competition. As she explains, “the rich are getting gouged, the poor are very often left out, and this means that we’re creating, yet again, two Americas, and deepening inequality through this communications inequality.”

Watch it, pity your Amerifriends and thank the heavens we have a fibre network coming sooner rather than later. [Vimeo]

A few check of US ISPs finds that they charge $30 per month or less for "unlimited" access. Comcast can provide a 105Mbps download speed. Times Warner can provide a 50Mbps download speed. AT&T can provide a 768Mbps download speed.

So the US has actually faster and much cheaper Internet access than Australia.